Ralph's Motions Part 1

Ralph Rudolph, RVC 6, has proposed several motions to the AMC for inclusion on the November meeting agenda. As some members wish to read AMC members’ pre-meeting thoughts and in the spirit of transparency, I am placing them here on my blog (with permission) and making my comments on them open to the public. Please note that the motions are drafts meant for discussion at this time and not necessarily the version that may or may not be voted on.

Motion about more explanation requirements for motions

1. Moved R. Rudolph, seconded _______ that whenever a motion is proposed, that the movers list why the proposed action would (1) improve recruitment, (2) assist local group officers in their efforts, (3) materially prevent problems, and/or (4) lead to greater membership satisfaction.

Explanation: If we are to develop a strategic vision for Mensa, that vision should be a proactive one, i.e. how can we improve Mensa for all of our members. Merely considering financial impact makes us appear as accountants, not leaders, and diminishes our focus on real matters.

Financial impact: happier members and an AMC thinking for our future.

Further Explanation: This puts forth a positive image of AMC as being strongly focused on improving Mensa in all ways. If members view AMC and AML more positively, it will involve more Members recommending Mensa to their friends and make them more willing to work towards recruitment; If members have more of a positive image of AMC and AML, they will more likely volunteer to assist their local groups, making the LocSec's and Editor's jobs easier; this will help eliminate the problem of seeing AMC as a closed monolithic group focused on itself; members seeing that AMC is positively addressing motions for their benefit will bring joy.

Robin’s thoughts:
My first response is a bit snarky, I admit. I’d like to know how this motion will improve recruitment, assist LG officers, prevent problems, or lead to greater satisfaction.

While I think these are absolutely things the AMC should bear in mind when taking actions, requiring a mover to formally write it up for inclusion with a motion is just going to lead to more bullshit, much like some of the financial statements.

When I was a Special Ed teacher, we had to have written, measurable objectives for everything students did in class. Since so often what went on in class was spontaneous grasping at teachable moments or quick responses to students’ immediate needs, this formal requirement led to great creativity. For example, I recall actually writing an objective: “Student will demonstrate mastery of stress-reducing, self-relaxation techniques in order to improve on-task concentration.”

Yup. I meant the kid took a nap. Sometimes, that’s what is necessary.

Ralph’s “Further Explanation” claims this motion will “put forth a positive image of AMC as being strongly focused on improving Mensa in all ways.” Yes, it would. But it would be an image based on pretty words—ranking right up there with “family values” and I doubt our membership is foolish enough to be satisfied with that.

Ralph goes on to write about all the wonderful things that will happen if members view the AMC and Mensa in general more positively. Some I agree with, some I don’t (the volunteering more bit, for example; come on… it’s all about how much time people have to give, not whether or not they love the AMC—we’re just not all that important to most members, fer crissakes). But…

I do not see how requiring movers to fluff up their motions with pretty explanations about how it will improve recruitment, assist LG officers, prevent problems, or lead to greater satisfaction will actually achieve any of those very noble goals.

IMO, this motion should be a guiding philosophical principle, but not another inflexible rule that will only lead to creative explanations with little substance.

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Deciding to Volunteer

Pam pointed me to this lady's blog, and I found this entry interesting enough to share it. It's about The Decision to Volunteer.

Why look,

There at the bottom of the page...

Shout out to My Biggest Fan

The housing market slump must be affecting Habitat for Humanity, since it seems that lately my biggest fan, Tom T. of Yakima Washington, has more time than usual to spend visiting and commenting on my blog. Hey Tom, have you checked out Charter Communication's policy on cyber stalking lately?

Online Civility

One of the issues that members bring to me more and more frequently is concern about online incivility. While there are enforceable terms of service on the AML-hosted elists and forums, the Internet communities run by Local Groups, SIGs, and individual members are not subject to the same oversight.

Any services hosted on AML-owned servers must adhere to the five Minimum Standards for AML Internet Communication Services:

1) Internet Communication Services must comply with all relevant federal laws, plus applicable local and state laws, including regulations regarding copyrights, obscenity, marketing scams, etc.

2) Users may not improperly post or distribute any confidential information or information that would infringe upon the proprietary, privacy, or personal rights of others.

3) Use of the Mensa name and logo must adhere to the current standard for Name and Logo Use.

4) The following disclaimer must be prominent for members agreeing to use these Internet Communication Services. In the case of elists or newsgroups, this disclaimer should be posted at least quarterly:

American Mensa, Ltd. accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted via its Internet Communications Services by its members or guests. Additionally, American Mensa is not liable for damages resulting from information transmitted via these Services or from any interruption or failure of these Services.

5) Opinions and information posted via chat, discussion boards or elists remain the property of the poster. Content from national or regional Web sites remains the property of the national organization and content from group Web sites remains the property of the pertinent group, unless otherwise noted.

(ASIE 2005-080)

Other than those standards, each Local Group or SIG using AML services may create its own policies regarding acceptable interactions and consequences. Any elists, Yahoo groups, Facebook groups, blogs, or other social networking tools organized by Groups or individual members are out of AML jurisdiction.

And still, members come to me and demand that "National" step in and deal with obnoxious members on these unofficial venues. While I suspect this is a topic that we all need to mull over as Mensa becomes a conglomeration of all sorts of smaller communities, physical and virtual, currently there is nothing "National" can or should do to intervene when there's a dust-up on a non-AML service.

HOWEVER....the law goes where Mensa does not, and it might behoove members to remember that. For example, I, myself, have a frequent visitor to this blog who attempts to post rude and crude comments. Now, I realize that this fellow, Tom, is merely lashing out at me because he was suspended from the AML forums due to his excessive aggressive behavior and refusal to adhere to the TOS. Regardless, there is no reason why a member should be allowed to stalk and harass a volunteer officer.

Fortunately, it turns out that he lives in Washington state, which has a fairly broad cyberstalking statute. Washington, unlike many states, separates out cyberstalking into its own statutory section. In addition to covering situations of harassment and intimidation, the statute says that, “A person is guilty of cyberstalking if he or she, with intent to…embarrass any other person…makes an electronic communication to such other person or a third party…using any lewd…words, images, or language…anonymously or repeated whether or not conversation occurs.” By including situations of embarrassment and those involving lewd language, even those many anonymously, individuals who bully others online can be punished. (WASH REV. CODE § 9.61.260 (2008).)

So, my point is that while AML may not always be able to step in and "make members behave civilly," there is no reason why any Mensan should have to put up with vicious treatment from other members. If Mensa can't help, then in most states, the police can.